City Council approves ban on ‘tall’ and ‘wide’ buildings in Vancouver’s Chinatown district

New low-rise and mid-rise buildings in Vancouver’s Chinatown district will no longer be able to achieve taller heights, reversing a policy first approved in 2011 that was intended to help revitalize the area.

Earlier this afternoon, Vancouver City Council approved policy changes that restrict the height and size of buildings in Chinatown in response to calls from anti-development activists to preserve the heritage nature of the area and limit site assemblies and property speculation.

“These changes are the result of many years of working with the community to address the concerns we have heard about how recent new development has been out of character and has been impacting Chinatown’s culture and heritage,” said Gil Kelley, the City’s General Manager of Planning, Urban Design and Sustainability, in a statement.

“Chinatown is a National Historic Site of Canada and an important part of Vancouver’s cultural identity. Current planning and revitalization need to respect the unique heritage and diversity of the community. These changes are part of a broader suite of revitalization strategies soon to get underway.”

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